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Walking with... Wiki:Workshop/Bug House
The Bug House is a structure in Prehistoric Park; a concrete and brick structure with two adjoining rooms, each with a dome on its roof. They resemble the biomes used in the Eden Project and are presumably constructed in the same way The occupants, which are all the giant insects it was designed for, include an Arthroplerua, a Meganeura, and a Giant Scorpion. Environment and structure The house is a concrete and brick structure with two adjoining rooms, each with a dome on its roof. They resemble the biomes used in the Eden Project and are presumably constructed in the same way, with tubular steel frames with hexagonal transparent panels made from a triple layer of thin UV-transparent ETFE film, inflated to create a large space between the two sides and trapping heat like double glazed windows. (Glass is too heavy and potentially dangerous). The entrance has two air-tight doors with a long corridor between, serving as an airlock. The two adjoining rooms have walls made mostly out of transparent bubbles, presumably for viewing the animals inside. Inside there appears to be no partition separating the species. It is filled entirely with tropical plants, but does not have a pond: this may be why Nigel was reluctant to bring back large amphibians. A demonstration with a lighted taper showed that the structure, due to its high oxygen atmosphere (35% nitrox), is vulnerable to fire; so it presumably has adequate fire alarm and sprinkler systems. History Building The Bug House was one of the first structures built in the park; when Nigel Marven goes on his first mission, it is almost complete. During the construction, the site was plagued by the free-roaming herd of titanosaurs, which were probably searching the site for gastroliths. This may have been a minor problem for the dinosaurs, but they would frequently knock over the walls and generally cause havoc. One titanosaur goes past, knocks a partly built wall down with its head, looks at the rubble, then goes away. Bob notes that the titanosaurs cannot seem to settle in one area. Bob offers the titanosaur a cycad leaf, but it does not eat. Bob, after recieving images from a palaeontologist friend of Nigel's, suspects that the dinosaurs are looking for gastroliths. Bob brings a wheelbarrow full of the stones to some titanosaurs, which quells their destructive behaviour. Completion With the titanosaurs no longer a problem, the house is completed quickly. Bob, inside, lights a chunk of wood on fire to demonstrate the danger. Bob later goes inside to feed the Arthropleura, which he likes more than the other bugs. It was spared destruction during the mass breakout, which is fortunate, as the inhabitants would probably suffer hypoxia if exposed to the modern-day atmosphere with its 20% oxygen level, if they were not crushed by the heavy walls and roof collapsing in on them. Behind the scenes It is mentioned in T-Rex Returns, the first episode, that "the enclousure for giant bugs is nearly finished". When it first appears, in the fifth episode, the foundations are still being layed out, even before the titanosaurs begin to cause trouble. There is no path leading to the Bug House; it appears to be hidden in the middle of a forested area. List of appearances *''Prehistoric Park'' **101. T-Rex Returns (mentioned only) **105. The Bug House